History of the LBB

The Landbouwbelang, a known factor in Maastricht since 2002, started and still being use as a cultural freezone, a place for experimentation and a stepping stone for young talent.
Troughout the years a lot of groups have been active in the Landbouwbelang, such as the Student Workforce, Pizza Kaboom, the Repaircafé Maastricht, …. And several smaller groups with regular or singular activities. A lot of artists and young entrepeneurs have used the Landbouwbelang in order to do their work.

History TimelineHere you can find a timeline of the Landbouwbelang, from way before and after becoming a cultural freezone.

2004-09-08

Volkskeuken Kometen

The communual kitchen ‘Volkskeuken Kometen’ moves into the Landbouwbelang.

1990-04-04

Vacancy

The vacant factory is used by several cultural groups, such as Intro in Situ and Toneelgroep Maastricht, for activities and events.

1970-01-01

Closing down

‘Vereeniging Landbouwbelang’ decides to close the factory in Maastricht due to a limited expandability in the city.

1939-01-10

Building the factory

Agricultural association ‘Vereeniging Landbouwbelang’ starts building a grainstorage- and processing facility in Maastricht. The building is completed after the Second World War.

1700-01-01

Monastery

The Antonieten-monastery is build next to the river the Maas, a commandery of the order of St. Anthony. The order exists until 1743. In 1848 the monastery is demolished in order to give way to a new canal going from Maastricht to Liège, with corresponding sluice going from the river to the Bassin.

06-04-2002

The squat

A group of young idealists decide to squat the factory to use it as a living- and workingspace. They baptise the new cultural freezone ‘the Landbouwbelang’. The first activities and parties are organised, the latter always with a permit. A number of artists build their studio’s in the squatted factory

Book release

The book ‘Landbouwbelang’, the result of a photography project by Bert Janssen is released. The initiative Maastricht goes Vegan starts in the Landbouwbelang.

Rebuilding and Renovating

The year of the rebuilding and renovating of many spaces within the LBB.

New checks

The municipality of Maastricht insist on new checks of the partyhall and the big hall. Also the living spaces of the Landbouwbelang are checked. Because of the new adjustments that have to be made the inhabitants move temporarily to the ground floor of the building.

Foodbank

Studentinitiative Foodbank, a waste-food cooking group, moves to the Landbouwbelang.

Burgemeester Onno Hoes op bezoek

Former mayor of Maastricht, Onno Hoes, visited the Landbouwbelang. He was very impressed of the many initiatives and activities that started in the Landbouwbelang, like Solmode, the Landhuis, Nightscapes Productions, Bandito Espresso and Caracola.

Volkskrant

We are very proud of a three page article about the Landbouwbelang in national newspaper the Volkskrant.

Give-away store & Landhuis

The first Give-away store (nowadays Give-further store or ‘Doorgeefwinkel’) is started in Maastricht as an initiative of the Landbouwbelang. Rebuilding starts on the house in front of the Landbouwbelang. At the end of 2009 it’s being used as the Landhuis, an open livingroom for Maastricht.

New covenant

Negotiations for a new covenant are started.

Belvédère

The municipality of Maastricht starts with the Belvédère project, a project to reform the industrial neighbourhood housing also the Landbouwbelang into a new cultural zone of the city.

Willem Vliegen medal

The Landbouwbelang receives the 'Willem Vliegen'medal from former alderman of culture Jacques Costons

Knighthood

Inhabitant Reinder van Tijen is knighted by mayor Gerd Leers for his decade long commitment for a better world trough his foundation Demotech

Covenant

Because some parties still get evicted and the process of getting a proper permit are still unclear, a covenant is drawn up between the municipality of Maastricht and the squatters. The agreements made limit themselves to the partyhall and the big hall of the Landbouwbelang.

Stichting '06

The squatters decide to make the necessary adjustments themselves. The foundation ‘Stichting ‘06’ is established in order to function as a corporation.

Evictions

A party taking place during the annual Kunsttour is evicted. There is haziness about the application for permits. The squatters ask for clarity from the mayor and the councillors of Maastricht. A structural research is completed and an advisory report is written to explain what changes have to be made to the building in order to continue the activities.

Anniversary year!

In April 2017 the Landbouwbelang celebrates it's 15th birthday. It is here to stay forever!